Stimulation arrangements, ventilation arrangement, stimulation methods and ventilation method

Abstract

A stimulation arrangement comprising an induction device having a field generator configured to generate a spatial field, a sensor unit, and a control unit in communication with the induction device and the sensor unit. The field generator of the induction device is configured to be positioned at a human or animal patient such that an inspiration muscular structure of the patient is stimulatable by the spatial field, the sensor unit is configured to be positioned at the human or animal patient to sense a feedback of the respiratory system or the patient, and the control unit is configured to control the induction device to generate the spatial field and to receive a feedback signal from the sensor unit. The control unit is configured to evaluate the feedback signal received from the sensor unit, and to activate the field generator of the induction device when the feedback signal is indicative of an abnormality.

1 - 54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . A stimulation arrangement comprising:
 an induction device having a field generator configured to generate a spatial field;   a sensor unit; and   a control unit in communication with the induction device and the sensor unit, wherein
 the field generator of the induction device is configured to be positioned at a human or animal patient such that an inspiration muscular structure of the patient is stimulable by the spatial field, 
 the sensor unit is configured to be positioned at the patient to sense a feedback from the patient or from a respiratory system of the patient, 
 the control unit is configured to control the induction device to generate the spatial field and to receive a feedback signal from the sensor unit, and 
 the control unit is configured to evaluate the feedback signal received from the sensor unit, and to activate the field generator of the induction device when the feedback signal is indicative of an abnormality. 
   
     
     
         56 . The stimulation arrangement of  claim 55 , wherein the sensor unit comprises:
 a pressure sensor unit to sense a pressure of a respiratory system of the patient, and wherein the abnormality is when a positive end-expiratory pressure, PEEP, is below a predefined pressure threshold, the pressure sensor unit including at least one of
 an airway pressure sensor, and the feedback signal is a pressure signal having an airway pressure component, and 
 an esophageal pressure sensor and the pressure signal has an esophageal pressure component, 
 wherein the control unit is configured to evaluate the pressure signal by calculating a transpulmonary pressure by subtracting the esophageal pressure component of the pressure signal from the airway pressure component of the pressure signal; and/or 
   a sensor to sense an oxygen content of a gas supplied from the respiratory system to the patient, and wherein the abnormality is when the oxygen content is below a predefined oxygenation threshold.   
     
     
         57 . The stimulation arrangement of  claim 55 , wherein the inspiration muscular structure comprises a diaphragm of the patient, an external intercostal muscle of the patient, an accessory muscle of inspiration of the patient, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         58 . The stimulation arrangement of  claim 55 , wherein the sensor unit comprises a hyperventilation sensor to sense a presence of hyperventilation of the patient, and the abnormality is when a presence of hyperventilation of the patient is identified, the hyperventilation sensor comprising at least one of
 an airflow sensor configured to be arranged at the patient to sense an air flow in the respiratory system of the patient, wherein
 the feedback signal is an airflow signal, and 
 the control unit is configured such that the evaluated airflow signal represents hyperventilation when a breathing frequency determined from the airflow signal exceeds a threshold frequency of 15 per minute or more; and/or 
   a carbon dioxide sensor configured to be arranged at the patient to sense carbon dioxide levels in the air or blood of the patient, wherein
 the feedback signal is a carbon dioxide signal, and 
 the control unit is configured such that the evaluated carbon dioxide signal represents hyperventilation when a carbon dioxide level determined from the carbon dioxide signal is below a carbon dioxide threshold of 22 mmol/L or less. 
   
     
     
         59 . The stimulation arrangement of  claim 55 , wherein the control unit is configured to activate the induction device such that the field generator generates pulses of the spatial field having a frequency of about 10 Hz to about 35 Hz. 
     
     
         60 . The stimulation arrangement of  claim 55 ,
 wherein the field generator of the induction device comprises an electrode and the spatial field generated by the field generator is an electric field, or a coil design and the spatial field generated by the field generator is an electro-magnetic field; and/or   wherein the field generator of the induction device is configured to be positioned at the patient such that a Phrenic nerve is in the spatial field generated by the field generator when the induction device is activated.   
     
     
         61 . The stimulation arrangement of  claim 55 , wherein
 the induction device comprises a second field generator configured to generate a second spatial field,   the second field generator of the induction device is configured to be positioned at the patient such that an expiration muscular structure of the patient is stimulable by the second spatial field,   the control unit is configured to operate the induction device such that the field generator and the second field generator generate coordinated pulses of the spatial field and the second spatial field to coordinately stimulate the inspiration muscular structure of the patient and the expiration muscular structure of the patient one after the other,   the second field generator of the induction device comprises either
 a second electrode and the second spatial field generated by the second field generator is a second electric field, or 
 a second coil design and the second spatial field generated by the second field generator is a second electro-magnetic field, and 
   the control unit is configured to de-activate the second field generator of the induction device such that the second spatial field is not generated when the feedback signal received from the sensor unit is indicative of the abnormality.   
     
     
         62 . The stimulation arrangement of  claim 56 , comprising an input structure configured to set the predefined pressure threshold and/or the predefined oxygenation threshold, wherein the input structure comprises a user interface. 
     
     
         63 . The stimulation arrangement of  claim 55 , further comprising:
 a constraining device configured to provide an airflow resistance in the respiratory system of the patient; and   an activator configured to manually activate the field generator of the induction device such that the spatial field is generated, wherein the activator comprises a button accessible by the patient.   
     
     
         64 . A stimulation method of stimulating a human or animal patient to ventilate the patient or to assist breathing of the patient, comprising:
 positioning a field generator of an induction device at the patient, the field generator being configured to generate a spatial field, such that an inspiration muscular structure of the patient is stimulable by the spatial field;   positioning a sensor unit at the patient to sense a feedback from the patient or from a respiratory system of the patient;   evaluating a feedback signal provided by the sensor unit; and   activating the field generator of the induction device such that the spatial field is generated when the feedback signal is indicative of an abnormality.   
     
     
         65 . The stimulation method of  claim 64 , wherein the inspiration muscular structure comprises a diaphragm of the patient, an external intercostal muscle of the patient, an accessory muscle of inspiration of the patient, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         66 . The stimulation method of  claim 64 , wherein the sensor unit comprises:
 a pressure sensor unit to sense a pressure of the respiratory system of the patient, and wherein the abnormality is when a positive end-expiratory pressure, PEEP, is below a predefined pressure threshold, the pressure sensor unit including
 an airway pressure sensor and the feedback signal is a pressure signal with an airway pressure component, and 
 an esophageal pressure sensor and the pressure signal has an esophageal pressure component, and 
   wherein evaluating the feedback signal includes evaluating the pressure signal provided by the pressure sensor unit and comprises calculating a transpulmonary pressure by subtracting the esophageal pressure component of the pressure signal from the airway pressure component of the pressure signal.   
     
     
         67 . The stimulation method of  claim 64 , wherein the sensor unit comprises a hyperventilation sensor to sense a presence of hyperventilation of the patient, and wherein the abnormality is when a presence of hyperventilation of the patient is identified, the hyperventilation sensor unit. 
     
     
         68 . The stimulation method of  claim 67 , wherein the hyperventilation sensor comprises at least one of:
 an airflow sensor configured to be arranged at the patient to sense an air flow in the respiratory system of the patient, wherein
 the feedback signal is an airflow signal, and 
 the evaluated airflow signal represents hyperventilation when a breathing frequency determined from the airflow signal exceeds a threshold frequency of 15 per minute or more; and/or 
   a carbon dioxide sensor configured to be arranged at the patient to sense carbon dioxide levels in the air or blood of the patient, wherein
 the feedback signal is a carbon dioxide signal, and 
 the evaluated carbon dioxide signal represents hyperventilation when a carbon dioxide level determined from the carbon dioxide signal is below a carbon dioxide threshold of 22 mmol/L or less. 
   
     
     
         69 . The stimulation method of  claim 64 , wherein the sensor unit comprises a sensor to sense an oxygen content of a gas supplied from the respiratory system to the patient, and wherein the abnormality is when the oxygen content is below a predefined oxygenation threshold. 
     
     
         70 . The stimulation method of  claim 64 , wherein activating the field generator of the induction device comprises generating pulses of the spatial field, wherein the pulses of the spatial field have a frequency of about 10 Hz to about 35 Hz. 
     
     
         71 . The stimulation method of  claim 64 , wherein the field generator of the induction device comprises:
 an electrode and the spatial field generated by the field generator is an electric field; or   a coil design and the spatial field generated by the field generator is an electro-magnetic field.   
     
     
         72 . The stimulation method of  claim 64 , wherein
 the induction device comprises a second field generator configured to generate a second spatial field,   the second field generator of the induction device is configured to be positioned at the human or animal patient such that an expiration muscular structure of the patient is stimulable by the second spatial field,   the induction device is operated such that the field generator and the second field generator generate coordinated pulses of the spatial field and the second spatial field to coordinately stimulate the inspiration muscular structure of the patient and the expiration muscular structure of the patient one after the other, and   the second field generator of the induction device comprises a second electrode and the second spatial field generated by the field generator is a second electric field, or the second field generator of the induction device comprises a second coil design and the second spatial field generated by the second field generator is a second electro-magnetic field.   
     
     
         73 . The stimulation method of  claim 72 , comprising de-activating the second field generator of the induction device such that the second spatial field is not generated when the feedback signal is indicative of the abnormality. 
     
     
         74 . The stimulation method of  claim 69 , comprising setting the predefined pressure threshold and/or the predefined oxygenation threshold, wherein a user interface is provided for setting the predefined pressure threshold and/or the predefined oxygenation threshold. 
     
     
         75 . The stimulation method of  claim 64 , comprising providing an airflow resistance in the respiratory system of the patient. 
     
     
         76 . The stimulation method of  claim 64 , comprising manually activating the field generator of the induction device such that the spatial field is generated, wherein the field generator of the induction device is activated by the patient pushing a button. 
     
     
         77 . The stimulation method of  claim 64 , wherein the field generator of the induction device is configured to be positioned at the patient such that a Phrenic nerve is in the spatial field generated by the field generator when the induction device is activated.